‘Fairly dire’ choices by Ford government led to Ontario’s cannabis problems: expert

‘Fairly dire’ choices by Ford government led to Ontario’s cannabis problems: expert
Year two of Canada’s experiment with legal cannabis has begun, at least in Ontario and Quebec, with layoffs. Just last week two big producers, Ontario’s CannTrust and Quebec’s HEXO, combined to leave more than 300 hundred people out of work. It’s been a busy last few months for CannTrust. In July, Health Canada discovered illicit cultivation in unlicensed rooms at its Pelham, Ont., greenhouse not far from Hamilton. The company fired its CEO and asked its chairman to resign. Just last Friday the company said it would lay off as many as 140 people while it works to regain its federal licences to sell and produce pot. Jesse Staniforth is the editor of Weedweek Canada, a free newsletter that tracks what’s happening in the cannabis sector. He says the first year has been rough, thanks in part to errors made by Doug Ford’s provincial government. Staniforth spoke with the CBC’s Conrad Collaco about how the cannabis sales system could be fixed. You can read an abridged and edited version of the interview or listen to the full audio interview by hitting the play button above. Jesse Staniforth, editor for Weedweek Canada CC: Why, after just a few months selling cannabis, have HEXO and CannTrust started laying off workers?…